Global Interpreting Services has always believed that education is important. Since I started the company, we have educated families, clients and Interpreters. Because we have been around for more than 25 years, we used to educate in person. We had people come to us…or we would go to them! I never dreamed that we would be doing classes in people’s homes on computers. (I mean, we did them in homes…we just drove there!).
Now we are bringing back education in a big way! We worked hard during the last couple of years to develop an eLearning course so that people can learn on their own time, in their own place.
Our first program is a training program for public safety personnel. We have worked hard to develop a dynamic, interactive, well-rounded, and informative program that is not only different from anything else that is available, but that will leave a lasting impression on anyone that takes the course.
Our course covers Deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind and low-English populations and discusses how to recognize these populations from a practical standpoint, and walks you through what to do when you encounter someone from one of these populations. We discuss culture, social dynamics, and legal implications.
As amazing as our first training is, we are just getting started. We have been invigorated by how this first training turned out; we cannot wait to share more. It just takes time to do it right and we want to make sure it’s done right…it’s that important to us.
What did I learn during this process?
Do you know what goes into filming a professional video? Or creating a professional course? It’s amazing. I had no idea how many steps were involved and the number of people it took. I am impressed that everyone is as interested in having a successful and purposeful outcome as we are. It almost brings tears to my eyes, to see that they care about effective communication as much as we do. I think they are looking forward to the next project as much as we are.
Steps We Took
When we were creating the interactive screens and voiceovers, we provided material to the writer. They developed storyboards that we went through. There was so much reading, and then lots of listening as the voiceover was done. We had to approve and choose animations. There were meetings and readings and approvals and more meetings. It was exciting to see it come together. It seemed like it took forever, but in reality, it was only a couple of months.
We had to shoot videos for the training. One of the pieces of training was outside. I was so nervous about the weather! We had to get the venue approved, we had to get the people to agree to be in it, and we had to get the weather to cooperate. You know, simple stuff!
Thankfully, it all worked out and the weather was gorgeous! (Almost too hot!). They always do two takes of the video so they have enough video to work with. The hardest part for me was when I did part of the video unscripted, and I couldn’t remember exactly how I said everything. Glad they have good editors!
Of course, that was easy compared to the camera guy who had to contort himself onto the floor of the front seat of a car for a shot in the video. I don’t envy video guys!
What I hope you take away from this, other than we have a new training for police and public safety personnel, is that if you are going to do your own training and make it a video or create an animation, take your time and put a lot of thought into it.
Don’t just set a camera on the side of a room and video a speaker and call it good. Your students deserve better and with all the programs available to you and all the companies out there like Learning Design, Inc and M-1 Studios, you can have a fantastic course.
My Grandma Moon used to always say, “If you’re going to do something, you might as well do it right.” She was absolutely right, and we did.
